Improvement in piano-actions



J'. W. HOLMES.

PIANo'AcTIoN. N0.178,148. Patented lmy 30,1876.

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N-FETERS, PHDTU-LVTHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON, D Cy UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JOHN v W. HOLMES, DUBUQUE, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PIANO-ACTIONS.

VSpecification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,148, dated- May30, 1876; application filed March 25, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WESLEY HOLMES, ofthe city and county of Dubuqueand State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement inPiano-Fortes, of which the following is a specication:

The object of my invention is, by means of an adjustable weight insteadof a spring applied to the jack in a piano, to more etfectually bring itback to position after it has thrown the hammer.

The following is a description of my iuvention:

In the drawing, the figure represents a side View of a piano-forte key,jack, hammer, and weight.

A represents a key of a piano. B represents the upright part of a jackin a piano. B represents the base of the jack fastened to the key.v O CO represent the hammer in a piano, and D represents an adjustable weightattached to the jack B. This adjustable weight D (which may mostconveniently be made of meta-l, and weigh from one-half ounce to oneounce) is attached to the upright part of the jack B on the front side,and adjusted, by means of a screw or otherwise,l at such distance fromthe face of the jack, and from its base, as may be necessary to make theaction of the key easy. This is for the purpose of tension; but theweight always remains theA same.

This invention operates in the following manner: When the key A isstruckthe jack B and B', resting thereon, is thrown upward and forward,which action causes the hammer G to strike the cord, and the weight D,adjusted as before described, draws the jack back to its position in astate of rest.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and for which Idesire Letters Patent, is-

The adjustable Weight D,'applied to the jack of a piano-forte key forthe purpose of drawing the jack back into position after throwing thehammer, substantially as described.

Signed this 16th day of- March, A. D. 1876.

JOHN WESLEY HOLMES. Witnesses: L,

MAREAE M. CADY, WILLIAE GRAHAM.

